This course addresses the main macroeconomic trends, opportunities, and risks faced by businesses and policymakers in the United Arab Emirates. Some of the questions that we examine include: What have been the main sources of growth for the UAE prior to and after the financial crisis? How has the UAE economy responded to changing financial conditions since the crisis? What are the initiatives the government has taken to diversify the economy and to promote growth? To what extent does the prospect for future growth depend on the organization of the labor market? Is the UAE’s unique political structure a strength or a source of risk for the country’s growth?

These topics will be addressed in class during a half term in New York prior to a one week visit to the UAE, where students will meet with business executives and government officials while working on team projects. Upon return from the travel portion of the class, students will have a wrap up class at Columbia Business School. Students should plan to arrive in the UAE on March 11^th and leave on March 18^th. Attendance both in New York and in-country and regular participation are a crucial part of the learning experience and as such attendance is mandatory. Students who miss the day of class may be removed from the course. No program fee refunds will be given after the add/drop period has closed. 

Pierre Yared

MUTB Professor of International Business

Pierre Yared is the MUTB Professor of International Business and the Vice Dean for Executive Education at Columbia Business School. His research, which has been published in leading academic journals, focuses on macroeconomic policy, political economy, and growth. He is a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research and an associate editor of the American Economic Review, the Journal of Monetary...

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